Page 15 of Silent Schemes

The set costs three thousand dollars and can hide four different weapons.

My father spares no expense when it comes to me completing jobs for him.

"No, it's not." She sits on my bed, looking so young, it breaks my heart. "I heard Father talking to Vincent. He said if you succeed with this, you'll be his primary weapon. You'll never be free."

Smart girl.

Too smart for her own good in this family.

Intelligence in women makes our father uncomfortable—we're supposed to be beautiful and deadly, not thoughtful.

"Let me worry about that," I say, sitting beside her.

She still smells like innocence—vanilla perfume and hope.

She hasn't killed anyone yet.

Hasn't had blood under her fingernails or the taste of death in her mouth.

"I won't let him turn me into you," she says, and the words cut deeper than any blade. "I won't be his weapon."

"You won't have to be," I promise, pulling her close. "After this job, things will change. I'll make sure of it."

She doesn't know I'm planning our escape.

That I've been siphoning money for two years, creating false identities, planning a life where Cross is just a word and not a death sentence.

One more job.

One more kill.

Then we run.

"He's grooming me," Maya whispers against my shoulder. "Yesterday, he made me watch Vincent kill that informant. Said I need to understand the family business."

My blood goes cold.

It's starting.

He's beginning her transformation from daughter to weapon.

I'm running out of time.

"Listen to me," I say, pulling back to look at her. "Whatever happens with this job, whatever you hear, remember that everything I do is for you. To keep you safe. To keep you whole."

"Sienna—"

"Promise me something," I interrupt. "If something happens to me, you run. There's a locker at the train station, number 237. Everything you need is there. New identity, money, a contact who'll help you disappear."

"Nothing's going to happen to you," she says, but her voice shakes.

We both know that's not guaranteed.

Not in our world.

"Promise me."

"I promise," she whispers.